Station-indicator



(No Model.)

V. H. SPRAGUE.

STATION INDICATOR.

Patented Sept. 6, 1881.

WITNESSES ATTORNEYS.

NITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

VIRGIL H. SPRAGUE, OF GREENE, MAINE.

STATION-INDICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 246,832, dated September 6, 1881.

` Application filed February 5, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VIRGIL H. SPRAGUE, of Greene, in the county of Androscoggin and State of Maine, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Station Indicators, of

which the following is a specification.

Myimprovements relate to apparatus for the visual indication of the names of stations or streets in railroad-cars. I make use of endless belts or chains, carrying the name cards or plates, and fitted with mechanism for giving step-by-step movement to the belt, whereby the cards are successively exposed.

The invention consists in a station-indicator provided with an endless chain to carry the name-plates, constructed substantially as hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is avertical section of the apparatus, showing the indicator proper and its case. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the actuating mechanism. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the gearing. Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views ofthe chain-links.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A is the inelosing-case, having an aperture, a, at one angle, (shown at the top,) which case is to be litted at a place in the car suitable for convenient observation.

b b are shafts fitted across the case A, one near the top and the other near the bottom, and carrying pulleys c fl. There are two pulleys,c, on the upper shaft, and two pulleys, d, of somewhat larger diameter, on the lower shaft. In front of pulleys c is tted a square shaft, e, geared through an intermediate pinion,r,with a gear-wheel of upper shaft, b. The gearing is shown separately in Fig. 4, and will be arranged to give a quarter-revolution to shaft e at each step forward of shaft b, which in turn will be regulated to the number of name-cards in use. Around the pulleys c d and shaft e pass endless chains or belts g, carrying the name cards or plates f,which connect the two belts. The shaft e causes a change of direction of the belt at right angles, and, being directly back of the aperture a, carries the namecards in succession from the vertical position of exposure to the horizontal position, where they are out of sight.

The belts or chains are made up oflinks consisting of metal plates lt, having eyes formed at one side by bending the metal, andformed at the opposite side with a righ t-angled tongue, s, curved at the angle to form an eye that enters between the eyes of the next link, hingepins being used to retain the links together. This construction permits the ready'removal and insertion of the links when it is desired to decrease or increase the number. The links lt are slotted at the ends, as shown at t, for en! gagement with spurs on pulleys c, and the tongues s have holes for screws or rivets, by which the name-plates fare secured. These links h may be curved, if desired, in the direction of the length of the belt, in which case the shaft e will be rounded to correspond.

The mechanism for giving a step-b v-step movement to the belt is shown in Fig. 3, and is as follows:

t' is a wheel xed on the upper shaft, l1, having a notched periphery or formed with cogs.

7c is an arm hung loosely on the same shaft l), so that it can swing between the adjustable stops l l.

on is an elbow-lever hung on arm lt, carrying at one end a pawl, n, above wheel i, and having its other end connected to an operatingrod, o. The pawl n is contained betweenA the arm lc and a bent lug,p,on the arm,and is connected to lever m by a pin or screw passing through a slot in the lever. The parts being in the position shown, the forward movement of rod o carries arm lc, and the pawl,bein g engaged with wheel i, moves the latter, and thus turns shaft l). On return of rod o the first effect is to move lever m and raise the pawl free from wheel i, and then the arm la is brought back. The next forward movement restores the first position and moves the wheel again. The wheel t' should be moved at each step just the distance required to move the chains forward one link.

VThe rod o may be operated by hand by connections suitably arranged, or it may be connected directly to a piston-head in a cylin-l der, as shown at p, for movement by compression or exhaustion of air in the cylinder.

q is an air-tube through which the air is to be exhausted or compressed to move the piston-head in one direction, a spring being used to move it in the other direction.

The cylinder p will be fitted for being ad- IOO justed or removed to obtain reversal of the motion at the terminus of a route. To obtain such reverse motion lever k and its attached parts will be removed from shaft b and replaced in reverse position,with the cylinder also reversed. The movement of rod o will then turn Wheel i and the chain in a direction opposite to that before described.

0n street-cars the cylinder maybe dispensed With, and lever 7s moved by a cord and spring, or the lever and its attachments may be dispensed with and wheel z' be turned by a Wormgea-r carried by a rod fitted for operation by a crank. l

I do not limit myself to the details exactly as described, as they may be varied within the scope of my invention. The belts may be arranged to move in a horizontal plane, if desired.

VIRGIL HORACE SPRAGUE.

Vitnesses SrLAs SPRAGUE, EVA M. RICHMOND. 

